Incident
While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet on a flight from Vientiane to Saigon, the crew reported their position over the PE5 waypoint on the G67 airway to air traffic control. Shortly after, contact was lost. The aircraft subsequently spiraled to the ground and crashed in a mountainous region approximately 25 kilometers southwest of Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed in the impact. All 26 occupants on board were killed, including a Swiss national who was in charge of medical missions for the Red Cross in Vietnam.
Investigation
Following the crash, investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of contact and the spiral descent. The rugged terrain and the complete destruction of the aircraft complicated the recovery and analysis efforts. The presence of the Red Cross official among the victims highlighted the humanitarian context of the flight.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the aircraft was likely shot down by a surface-to-air missile. This conclusion was based on the evidence gathered at the crash site and the sequence of events leading to the loss of the aircraft.